My current favourite author is Louisa May Alcott. Thanks to Project Gutenburg I can download her entire library of works for free and I think she would be pretty happy about that. Explaining why here is a little off the point and if anyone bar me is reading this, I'll be surprised.
Last night I was reading 'Rose in Bloom' which is a sequel that I didn't realise existed, for a sweet little book called "Eight Cousins" set some time after the American Civil War, which follows a girl who is adopted by her Uncle, following the death of her father, his Brother. Uncle is a slightly kooky Doctor, a feminist, health enthusiast who believes hearty exercise, moderation, NO CORSETS and a bunch of other 'controversial' (read 'perfectly sensible') "schemes" are the remedy for the dissipation of youth, which is rich young teens who have essentially been doing nothing but partying since they were (7-)14, are 'fitting' themselves up for (mostly) arranged or sanctioned marriages, might go to University followed by a European "Tour" and then get married and 'set up for' business (the boys only of course). Rose is the beneficiary of 'a fortune' and is coached to become an entrepreneurial philanthropist, for which she is mocked by her rich relations including some of her 'Eight Cousins' but not all.
Somewhere in the middle of the book, May Alcott writes:
Last night I was reading 'Rose in Bloom' which is a sequel that I didn't realise existed, for a sweet little book called "Eight Cousins" set some time after the American Civil War, which follows a girl who is adopted by her Uncle, following the death of her father, his Brother. Uncle is a slightly kooky Doctor, a feminist, health enthusiast who believes hearty exercise, moderation, NO CORSETS and a bunch of other 'controversial' (read 'perfectly sensible') "schemes" are the remedy for the dissipation of youth, which is rich young teens who have essentially been doing nothing but partying since they were (7-)14, are 'fitting' themselves up for (mostly) arranged or sanctioned marriages, might go to University followed by a European "Tour" and then get married and 'set up for' business (the boys only of course). Rose is the beneficiary of 'a fortune' and is coached to become an entrepreneurial philanthropist, for which she is mocked by her rich relations including some of her 'Eight Cousins' but not all.
Somewhere in the middle of the book, May Alcott writes:
"Rose did feel rather alarmed, for if he drank the health of all the owners of those names, she felt sure that Charlie would need a very strong head indeed. It was hard to say anything then and there without seeming disrespect to Aunt Plenty, yet she longed to remind her cousin of the example she tried to set him in this respect, for Rose never touched wine, and the boys knew it. She was thoughtfully turning the bracelet, with its pretty device of turquoise forget-me-nots, when the giver came back to her, still bubbling over with good spirits.
"Dear little saint, you look as if you'd like to smash all the punch bowls in the city, and save us jolly young fellows from tomorrow's headache."
"I should, for such headaches sometimes end in heartaches, I'm afraid. Dear Charlie, don't be angry, but you know better than I that this is a dangerous day for such as you so do be careful for my sake," she added, with an unwonted touch of tenderness in her voice, for, looking at the gallant figure before her, it was impossible to repress the womanly longing to keep it always as brave and blithe as now."
So this is my point I suppose, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman's tragic death and the constant deluge of statistics of those addicted, dead and dying or criminalised for their addictions, we need to do more to love and help each other out, to stay away from the things that will eat us alive and destroy our lives.
One article made a point that those around people with addictions are not unaware of the situation, which isn't to say we are responsible when these things happen. We can never know what we might become addicted to, so shouldn't we do everything in our power to influence each other for good? Just be a good influence, not goad each other beyond what we know ourselves capable of, or even to stay well within bounds of what we suspect to be our limits?
I DO want to "smash all the punchbowls in the city" and I'm not ashamed of it. I want to have pleasant conversations, good clean fun and have a simple life full of blessings, for my self and to be a blessing to others.
If I ever push you beyond your limits, to a place you don't want to be, you're free to cut me off!
